Dining in any major city can be daunting. Many choices spread over a wide area with a range of prices and cuisines that can confuse.
New York City is a world-class city for restaurants ranging from $ to $$$$, from Albanian to Vietnamese. To navigate that diversity, for decades I have relied on the Zagat Guides. I have collected them over the years and I have depended on them.
Several years ago, Michelin took their first stab at a restaurant guide. I found the 2007 version a bit ragged and I simply had not picked up a copy in years.
When I looked through the 2014 edition, I was overjoyed. It’s dominantly the better guide, with far more information and far better organized than Zagat. Here are the reasons:
- Zagat’s main section is one long list of all the restaurants in alphabetical order. Michelin divides the city into over a dozen neighborhoods, with the restaurants listed my neighborhood.
- Michelin provides neighborhood maps, in color, with the restaurants easily found; Zagat has no maps
- The typical Zagat review is one or two sentences — perhaps four cryptic line; Michelin devotes a full or half page, with solid descriptions, chef information if pertinent, and specific dishes to try
Zagat has over 1500 of its mini-reviews. The Michelin book has twice the pages but fewer reviews, just over a thousand. But those Michelin reviews tell you something, give you confidence before you hop in cab or ride the subway.
Is it over for Zagat? No, the book has true reference value. They have useful lists of hot newcomer restaurants, and a valuable list of ones that have closed. It can be quite something to thumb through old volumes and see the transitions and trends. If you are a food historian and love to keep track of the restaurant scene, then the Zagat guides are important.
If you are looking for good guides to dining, then Michelin is your choice.
Oh, is the Michelin guide actually accurate? The descriptions of the décor are flowery, I will say, but the menu descriptions are spot on. The places they don’t list? You probably didn’t want to go there anyway. Michelin provides plenty of choices, by neighborhood, to give you an excellent set of choices for your dining experience.
For example, the first neighborhood in the guide is hot Chelsea and there you will find a listing for Crema, a small Mexican restaurant offering exceptional food and value. It’s a clear sign that the Michelin guide has been carefully researched.